fall_of_the_aztecsfandomcom-20200213-history
Introduction
Teacher As described by Milkova, a lesson plan is the road of what students need to learn for the instructor. This lesson plan will be used to help instructors to educate high school students about the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, and the circumstances surrounding it. Included in this lesson plan is a brief outline of Aztec culture and history before the conquistadors arrived, and how these factors contributed to the Spaniard’s victory in Mesoamerica. This epoch of history is very important due to the fact that this was the first time that a European power had conquered another country for colonial purposes. This lead to the European trend of conquest of what they viewed as “inferior” cultures, leading to a global colonial period by major European powers that affects the lives of almost every human being alive today. Students It may be easiest to start the lesson off by engaging the students in a conversation about the history of Mexico, or asking them if any of them had heard of the Aztecs. This may be accomplished by sending students an electronic survey or asking them to fill out comments or questions on an index card. This will help to pique their interest in the lesson and make them think before it even begins, while also helping the teacher to gather an idea of how much information the students already know about the Aztecs and the Spanish Conquest. It is always best to encourage an inquisitive atmosphere and to encourage students to ask questions about the material that will draw them into the lesson with an interested and curious mindset. Planning out a creative introduction will help the teacher a great deal by helping to keep the student’s attention, while also giving the teacher the chance to learn more about the subject themselves. Consider how to check the student’s understanding about the topic, including preconceived notions and possible misconceptions of the topic that may need to be corrected or explained. One of the most common misconceptions about the conquest is that the Spanish were able to topple the Aztec empire on their own, so this may be a good place to start. Learning Objectives The topic of this lesson is the fall of the Aztec Empire in the Spanish Conquest of the New World. Hopefully, students will learn about the key historical and socio-economic reasons for the Conquest, and how a relatively small army of Spanish soldiers was able to topple the most powerful empire in the New World in less than 3 years. * · The students should be able to comprehend the general history of the fall of the Aztec Empire. * · The students should be able to understand the general hows and whys of the Conquest, and a little more about the rich culture of the Aztec. * · The students should be able to end the lesson with greater understanding of how the roots of the modern world were starting to take shape so long ago, and how cultural interaction sometimes leads to violence.